A BEACH cleaning group is urging residents to clean up their dog mess after one of its volunteers found a JAR of dog poo on Berrow Beach.

The Friends of Berrow Beach posted an image on social media on New Year's Day (January 1) which showed a tied up bag of dog mess inside a sealed jar on the sand at the beach, sparking a lively debate.

The jar was found by one of the group's founders who made the startling discovery while taking a walk down the beach.

Now Nigel Hoy, co-founder of The Friends of Berrow Beach, has hit out at 'irresponsible dog owners' and is urging them to dispose of their dog mess responsibly.

"This is one big problem we are encountering on the beach and along the paths leading to the beach and appears to be getting worse," Mr Hoy said.

"It seems some dog owners are happy to bag the stuff and then leave it hanging in bushes or on the beach thinking that someone else will pick it up.

"We are finding these little packages quite regularly, both on the beach and also along the paths leading to the beach.

"Bagging dog poo in a plastic bag and just throwing it away does far more harm to the environment than just leaving it where the dog left it."

Since their post more than a dozen residents have taken to social media and spoken in anger about the mess on the beach saying it is 'disgusting'.

Mr Hoy said the group makes an effort to remove the dog mess during their monthly beach clean but claims a number of waste bags are thrown into bushes out of reach from their litter pickers.

"The Friends of Berrow Beach are doing their very best, with a limited number of local supporters, to clear Berrow beach of litter which has come to our shores from elsewhere," Mr Hoy said.

"It is therefore very frustrating to know that some of this mess being cleared is actually being generated by our very own residents.

"Not only does this pose a big health and environmental problem, but is also unsightly to the other users of the beach – locals and tourists alike."

A spokesman for Sedgemoor District Council (SDC) said the council has 240 dog bins across the district and said it is dog owner's responsibility to clean up after their pets.

"Our two dog wardens patrol public open places including parks, children’s play areas and beaches within the district of Sedgemoor," the spokesman said.

"Failing to remove dog faeces from public land is an offence but the dog wardens need to witness a dog owner/person who is charge of the dog and fail to remove their dog poo to be able to issue a Fixed Penalty Notice. "The emphasis is really on dog owners to pick up their dog’s poo and put it in a dog bin or take home and put in the domestic rubbish.

"SDC has 240 dog bins across the district. They get emptied at least twice a week and the ones in popular spots such as Burnham-on-Sea and parks get emptied daily.

"We also work closely with staff from Litter Free Coasts who target dog waste on Sedgemoor’s beaches.

"Finally, our clean surroundings team do clear public areas from dog poo, but it should not be left there in the first place."